Mr BioFile Interviews by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. (Note: This Biofile interview was done by phone in 1993.)
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 250
DOB: January 10, 1949 In Marshall, Texas
Childhood Heroes: Jim Brown – football. I wanted to become a great athlete after seeing Jimmy Brown carry three guys over the line. Steve Reeves – actor who played Hercules in movies.
Hobbies: Bass fishing.
Best Book I Ever Read: The Bible.
Best Boxer I Ever Saw: Muhammad Ali – in his 1966 KO win over Karl Mildenberger.
Favorite Movies: Ben-Hur – I usually watch that once a year. Gone With The Wind. The Joe Louis Story.
Favorite TV Shows: The Beverly Hillbillies, The Amos & Andy Show.
Musical Tastes: All music, Michael Jackson.
Nickname: Monkey – my little sister gave it to me as a baby. It stuck with me.
Favorite Meal: Cheeseburgers. There’s nothing better than a nice cheeseburger.
Pre-Fight Meal: Broiled chicken, mixed vegetables, lots of water.
Biggest Sports Thrill: The last time UCLA won the NCAA Basketball Championship with Lew Alcindor. They beat Houston. That was a big thrill. I was such a UCLA fan. It was the last year Alcindor played at UCLA.
Favorite Sport To Watch Outside Boxing: NBA basketball.
Favorite City: New York City. The best foods, the best restaurants in the world. That’s why I like it.
Little-Known Fact: I’m a cowboy. I break horses – horses that have never been ridden before. It’s not an easy thing to do.
Closest Friends In Boxing: Bob Arum – he’s a guy I consider a close friend. Dan Duva. James Toney.
Favorite Boxer To Watch Today: James Toney. These are great questions.
Favorite Fight: Cassius Green-Charlie Shipes (1968).
Person I Most Admire: Dwight D. Eisenhower. He had more courage than any guy in the political world. He had a lot of courage. He moved from the military world into the political world. I really admired him. Admire him now, even at this point.
Updated George Foreman Biofile in later 90s…
Pre-Fight Feeling: Keep a quick run-through of all I practiced in training. Remind myself to keep my jab up, throw the right hand to the body, things like that. Go over each one. That’s what the whole dressing room preparation is about. To make sure I have in mind what I will do. May run it down like 25-30 times, so in case I get knocked down or get dizzy, it comes right back, I know what to do next.
Greatest Sports Moment: Winning the Heavyweight title back (KO 10 Michael Moorer in 1994). The greatest moment of all. I told my wife I was going to do it for personal satisfaction. Put myself to the ultimate test. I was a contender for ten years.
Most Painful Moment: When I got beat by Muhammad Ali. That was embarrassing, so embarrassing. It happened in 1974 and I didn’t get over it until 1976, then I had to get up against Ron Lyle and I soon forgot all that Ali stuff [smiles].
Funny Boxing Memory: The day Muhammad Ali threw champagne bottles at me – at the Boxing Writer’s Dinner in 1973. I tore his jacket. And he got mad at me and threw a bottle at me. That was funny. We got into a fight. I planned revenge – I intended to whip him in Africa and he whipped me [laughs].
Favorite Boxers To Watch: Oscar De La Hoya. Roy Jones – Great athlete, every time he gets in the ring he wants to win, win big! Jame Toney – I love that kid. He’s always really nice and friendly with me. I know he’s tense and all before his fights but he’s always got something nice to say to me.
Career Accomplishments: 1968 Olympic gold medalist; Boxed as a pro from 1968-1977 and 1987-1997; Won the World Heavyweight title by KO vs. Joe Frazier in 1973 as a 3-1 underdog; Became oldest man to win heavyweight title at age 45 in 1994 vs. Michael Moorer; Final ring record is 76-5 (68 knockouts); his George Foreman Grill sold over 100 million units and in 1999 he sold the commercial rights to the grill for $138 million.
George Foreman KO Ken Norton fight video
(George Foreman oil painting by LeRoy Neiman.)
